Montclair Local Voter Guide: 2020 Election – Montclair, NJ Patch

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Many voters in Montclair have been focused on the looming showdown between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. But there’s also a long list of local candidates who will rise – or fall – in this year’s historic election, which is being held mostly by mail due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A limited number of polling places will be open on Nov. 3, the same day that mail-in ballots must be postmarked in order to be counted. READ MORE: NJ 2020 Election Guide: How To Vote, Who’s On The Ballot

Montclair residents will get a chance to vote for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The township is split between two congressional districts:

• 10th District – Incumbent U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr., who won the Democratic Party nomination in the primary election, and Jennifer Zinone, who captured the Republican Party nomination, are facing John Mirrione of the Libertarian Party and independent candidates Akil Khalfani and Khaliah Fitchette.
• 11th District – Incumbent U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, and challenger Rosemary Becchi, a Republican, recently matched up in a series of debates. Catch up with some of Patch’s coverage here.

Montclair residents will also get a chance to pick members of the newly named Essex County Board of County Commissioners, formerly known as the “freeholders.” All nine seats on the board are up for grabs this year. Each term lasts three years.

Montclair residents can also vote for the next Essex County clerk. Incumbent Christopher Durkin, the Democratic Party nominee, is defending his seat against Kristina Christoforou, who earned the Republican Party nomination in the primary election. The victor will serve a five-year term.

The last day to register to vote for the general election was Oct. 13. This year, every voter was mailed a ballot that they can fill out and mail back. Because of possible delays in U.S. Postal Service deliveries, election advocates advised people to send them back no later than Oct. 22. Mail-in ballots must bear a postmark on or before Election Day or they won’t be counted. They must be received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 10.

Essex County residents who are concerned about the security of their mail-in ballots may find some solace via a local “drop box” that has been put up for the 2020 general election. See a list of drop box locations in Essex County here.

A limited number of polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. But voting machines will only be ADA-compliant machines for those who need assistance. All other voters will be given a provisional ballot. Find your local polling place here.